System and Method for Activity Monitoring Using Video Data

1. A system for activity monitoring using video data, the system comprising: at least one special purpose processor executing a plurality of video analysis worker processes; a management subsystem coupled to the at least one special purpose processor that performs specific tasks, wherein the management subsystem comprises: a feed management subsystem for managing video data from the plurality of video data sources; a worker management subsystem for managing the video analysis worker processes; a location management subsystem for managing geographic information related to the plurality of video sources; a data storage subsystem for managing storage of data, including unprocessed and processed video data; and a plurality of video data sources of multiple types producing video data of different types, wherein the plurality of video data sources comprises at least one mobile device executing a video sensing application that produces a video stream for processing by the plurality of video analysis worker processes; wherein the specific tasks include line analysis comprising using video data of people standing in a line to determine how many people wait in line and how long it takes a person to go through the line.

2. A system for activity monitoring using video data, the system comprising: at least one special purpose processor executing a plurality of video analysis worker processes; a management subsystem coupled to the at least one special purpose processor that performs specific tasks; and a plurality of video data sources of multiple types producing video data of different types, wherein the plurality of video data sources comprises at least one mobile device executing a video sensing application that produces a video stream for processing by the plurality of video analysis worker processes, and a user interface coupled to receive video data from the data storage subsystem and to present the video data in a human-accessible manner; wherein the specific tasks include line analysis comprising using video data of people standing in a line to determine how many people wait in line and how long it takes a person to go through the line.

3. A system for activity monitoring using video data, the system comprising: at least one special purpose processor executing a plurality of video analysis worker processes; a management subsystem coupled to the at least one special purpose processor that performs specific tasks; and a plurality of video data sources of multiple types producing video data of different types, wherein the plurality of video data sources comprises at least one mobile device executing a video sensing application that produces a video stream for processing by the plurality of video analysis worker processes, a contributor management subsystem for managing entities that control the plurality of video data sources, wherein entities comprise individuals, companies and organizations; wherein the specific tasks include line analysis comprising using video data of people standing in a line to determine how many people wait in line and how long it takes a person to go through the line.

4. A system for activity monitoring using video data, the system comprising: at least one special purpose processor executing a plurality of video analysis worker processes, wherein the plurality of video analysis worker processes comprise a process for detection of activity areas; wherein the process for detection of activity areas comprises: detecting movement in a current video frame; detecting foreground in a current video frame; and generating and updating a background model to generate an expected background; and a management subsystem coupled to the at least one special purpose processor that performs specific tasks; and a plurality of video data sources of multiple types producing video data of different types, wherein the plurality of video data sources comprises at least one mobile device executing a video sensing application that produces a video stream for processing by the plurality of video analysis worker processes; wherein the specific tasks include line analysis comprising using video data of a people standing in a line to determine how many people wait in line and how long it takes a person to go through the line.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein: the process for detection of activity areas comprises: detecting movement in a current video frame; detecting foreground in a current video frame; and generating and updating a background model to generate an expected background; and wherein the plurality of video analysis worker processes comprise a process for detection of activity areas results in activity contours to model a waiting line from the video data.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein: the process for detection of activity areas comprises: detecting movement in a current video frame; detecting foreground in a current video frame; and generating and updating a background model to generate an expected background; and wherein the plurality of video analysis worker processes comprise a process for detection of activity areas results in activity contours to model a waiting line from the video data, and further results in a curve model of the waiting line using line contours.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein: the process for detection of activity areas comprises: detecting movement in a current video frame; detecting foreground in a current video frame; and generating and updating a background model to generate an expected background; and wherein the plurality of video analysis worker processes comprise a process for detection of activity areas results in activity contours to model a waiting line from the video data, and further results in a curve model of the waiting line using line contours, and wherein the plurality of video analysis workers generate a measurement of the waiting line in real time using the curve model and the line contours.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein: the process for detection of activity areas comprises: detecting movement in a current video frame; detecting foreground in a current video frame; and generating and updating a background model to generate an expected background; and wherein the plurality of video analysis worker processes comprise a process for detection of activity areas results in activity contours to model a waiting line from the video data, and further results in a curve model of the waiting line using line contours, and wherein the plurality of video analysis workers generate a measurement of the waiting line in real time using the curve model and the line contours, and wherein the measurement comprises a number of people in the waiting line, and an average wait time.